High School Scrapbook: Kate O'Neill

On the value of cross-training even when you aren't injured

Friday, October 1, 2004, 12:00 am

According to former Yale standout Kate O’Neill, cross-training doesn’t just serve as a way to train while nursing an injury—it makes up for extra training sessions and takes the stresses of running off the legs.

"I do pool runs two mornings a week, usually the morning of an interval workout," says O'Neill. She stresses that pool running without a flotation device forces you to maintain perfect form while elevating your heart rate.

A pool may not be available to everyone, but riding a stationary bicycle is another way to boost fitness. O’Neill remembers riding during the winter months of high school when roads were too snow-covered to run on. In addition to these aerobic alternatives, she also recommends hitting the weight room at least two times per week to work on specific muscle groups.

Simply put, cross-training not only provides an excellent way to keep in shape while coming back from being hurt, it’s also a great substitute for extra mileage or running in inclement weather. "It’s a workout without the pounding," says O’Neill. Regular cross-training has paid off big time for her, as she recently because the sixth fastest U.S. 10,000m runners of all-time.